Agendo scheduling system rules

Limitations on booking GFP1, GFP2 and GFP3 within the scheduling system are listed below.

• Maximum number of hours per user per week: 72 shared between all three machines
• You may only book 2 weeks in advance

Booking rules

In addition to the General Rules, the following specific booking rules apply.

• The time-lapse microscopes MUST be booked before use; even if that means immediately before use. If you are using a machine without booking it, then any user that books the same time has priority over you and can quit your session. So make sure you book enough time to carry out your experiment and transfer data
• Always specify what temperature you need in the Agendo booking system
• You must not book more than 72 hours per working weeks on the GFP time-lapses. This is inclusive of all three machines; not 72 hours per machine. The working week is 1000 Monday to 1800 Friday.
• You MUST begin imaging, transferring data or otherwise using the system within one hour of the beginning of your booking or the session may be cancelled. Exceptions can be made in some cases but a detailed written explanation must be given saying why the specimen or technique necessitates such a long delay (e.g. variable embryo development time)
• If you need to cancel your reservation you MUST do so as soon as possible and not less than 4 hours before the start of the session
• Whenever you finish or cancel your session you MUST check if anyone has booked after you. Always scroll down in the booking system to check the evening; it is very likely that someone will have booked after 6pm and you won’t be able to see this unless you scroll down
• You MUST check to see what temperature the next user needs and set the chamber heater accordingly. If no temperature is specified then you may leave the chamber at its current temperature
• If no-one will be using the machine for the rest of the day you MUST turn the imaging system off. This does not apply to the heater, which should be left at the correct temperature for the next user
• When you cancel or finish early you MUST alert all other users that the Vox is free by sending an email to the Agendo mailing list or to lmcb-lm-users@ucl.ac.uk

The rules are designed to preserve the life of the confocal system and to ensure everybody has fair access to the machines. Failure to observe them will initially result in a warning email, after which booking privileges will be removed; initially for one week but increasing to two weeks, three weeks etc. if the problem continues. Warnings and other penalties will elapse after six months if there have been no more infringements.

Usage rules

In addition the usage rules below must be followed.

• Always remove latex or nitrile gloves before touching the keyboard, mouse, microscope focus and buttons to prevent contamination with biological material and immersion oil
• Always keep any immersion oil bottles in the petri dishes provided. This is to stop oil getting everywhere. Do not put anything else in the dishes
• Always keep stage adaptors, inserts and relevant immersion oils inside the chamber so they stay at the same temperature as the microscope
• If you need to calibrate the stage you MUST make sure that the objective lens nose piece is in its lowest position first. If this is not done the stage will hit the objective lens when calibrating
• You must NEVER leave the microscope stand with the objective lens nose piece in the Escape (Nikon) or Load (Zeiss) position. This is because the next user will not be able to focus with the Escape or Load button pressed. Also, if they work out what has happened and press the refocus button the objective lens may go straight through their sample
• Always check carefully for any spilt medium on or around the microscope stage, nose piece and inside the chamber. Clean up any spills. The salts in media react with the metal of the microscope and can cause serious damage
• You MUST dispose of your specimens according to the LMCB Code of Practice for Laboratory Workers. Gloves and tissues should be discarded in the yellow clinical waste bag. Sharps and small biological specimens (e.g. Lab-Teks and 35 mm dishes) may be placed in the sharps bin provided, but any larger biological specimens must be taken away and treated overnight with a suitable disinfectant before disposal.